Massive scale of Crowley's personal vote emerges

The sheer scale of Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley's own personal vote has emerged this afternoon.

It is estimated that nearly a third of the 180,000 people who gave him their number one vote didn't vote for anybody else on the ballot paper.

The detail emerged this afternoon as centre staff continue the mammoth task of distributing his surplus.

Crowley was elected on the first count earlier with 180,329 first preference votes - just under 50,000 over the quota.

It is estimated that almost a third of his votes are non-transferable - with voters giving him their number one, and not continuing their preference for any of the other 14 candidates in Ireland South.